The Aargauer Zeitung Sunday edition today published an article stating that Geneva has the highest crime rate in Switzerland. I thought it was particularly interesting because it included a map of the areas where crime was worst. I thought this may be of interest to newcomers looking for accommodation in Geneva as places best avoided.

I took a look at the map. The red areas marked for high criminality - would be good to know what that criminality means (theft, muggings, rapes, murders??). Seems that the red areas are primarily public areas - open parks, the train station, public swimming area? Not so much residential neighborhoods endangered? Not sure if I'm guessing correctly.

It is very useful to know that most of the places where I am going to in Geneva are the most attached ones.
It is not only Geneva, where people are leaving their bags next to their chair when they are having a coffee, the shopping centre in Signy, where the ladies love to leave their bag on the trolley, when they are shopping, and Lausanne belongs to these cities.
Very often it would be enough if we would put attention, where we keep our own belongings.

I took a look at the map. The red areas marked for high criminality - would be good to know what that criminality means (theft, muggings, rapes, murders??). Seems that the red areas are primarily public areas - open parks, the train station, public swimming area? Not so much residential neighborhoods endangered? Not sure if I'm guessing correctly.

It does not say in the article.
I'm sure there's a more detailed statistics, but I doubt it's public.

It is very useful to know that most of the places where I am going to in Geneva are the most attached ones.
It is not only Geneva, where people are leaving their bags next to their chair when they are having a coffee, the shopping centre in Signy, where the ladies love to leave their bag on the trolley, when they are shopping, and Lausanne belongs to these cities.
Very often it would be enough if we would put attention, where we keep our own belongings.

That's very true. But it wasn't so long ago that you could do exactly as you say and no one would take your stuff. So things they are a-changin'.

mmmmm..... not so sure there's anything new under the sun there.
The places indicated on the map are same places with issues when I was a kid growing up in Geneva.
Everybody knew that Paquis and Plainpalais were more difficult places than others.

Geneva is a beautiful, warm, welcoming city, it is not violent and never has been.

mmmmm..... not so sure there's anything new under the sun there.
The places indicated on the map are same places with issues when I was a kid growing up in Geneva.
Everybody knew that Paquis and Plainpalais were more difficult places than others.

Geneva is a beautiful, warm, welcoming city, it is not violent and never has been.

I was thinking the same thing. When I lived in Geneva way back when those were the same "problem areas.

mmmmm..... not so sure there's anything new under the sun there.
The places indicated on the map are same places with issues when I was a kid growing up in Geneva.
Everybody knew that Paquis and Plainpalais were more difficult places than others.

Geneva is a beautiful, warm, welcoming city, it is not violent and never has been.

If you read the article it states that the thieves earlier would distract people and then rob them. Today the thieves are simply threatening with a knife, I would call that an increase in violence.

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The Aargauer Zeitung Sunday edition today published an article stating that Geneva has the highest crime rate in Switzerland. I thought it was particularly interesting because it included a map of the areas where crime was worst. I thought this may be of interest to newcomers looking for accommodation in Geneva as places best avoided.

Unfortunately the article itself is in German. I have attached a pdf.

Potentially, Geneva is not having more of crime problems than Zürich and Basel, but while the police corps of Zürich and Basel enjoy an excellent reputation even in neighbouring countries, the reputation of the police corps in Geneva is shady at best and incompetent and irrelevant at worst.

Another aspect is that Maghrebines are, what a shame, mentioned as "leading" in crime, BUT that the quarter which is heavily Maghrebines dominated, the Quartier Paquis is described as relatively good. The Paquis HAS whores, but they are NOT making up what the quartier is all about. The Maghrebines however DO.

The trouble in Geneva, including Geneva-Suburbia, rather is that the population does not give the support to police and to public transport, the population in Zürich and Basel DOES give

Another point. The Zürcher Kantonspolizei closely co-operates with the police corps of Schaffhausen Aargau, Schwyz (Lachen, etc), and St. Gallen (Rapperswil). Given the general antipathy between Geneva and Vaud, I have my doubts about this there. Let's not forget that while Versoix is GE, already Coppet and Nyon are Vaudois. This is an important aspect

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mmmmm..... not so sure there's anything new under the sun there.
The places indicated on the map are same places with issues when I was a kid growing up in Geneva.
Everybody knew that Paquis and Plainpalais were more difficult places than others.

Geneva is a beautiful, warm, welcoming city, it is not violent and never has been.

I agree, nothing much has changed since I grew up there either (early 70's), but for people not in the know I thought it might be useful.

Though I don't seem to remember Plainpalais being all that bad at the time. The Exhibition centre was there and, yes there were a lot of old buildings, but it never struck me as being crime ridden. I even bought my first moped there from a store called Ludi. IIRC the store was kind of legendary although I have no idea why....

One of the other issues in Geneva is transborder crime. I was at a school reunion a few years back and parked under the lake. The car was broken into and stuff stolen from the trunk. When we reported it to the police they said that people come over from France do the deed and then disappear back over the border. There is very little the police can do.

It contains a map. A map with the high crime areas coloured in red. Why would someone who doesn't speak German not be able to understand that?

Looked at the map. And compared the figures given. With the same crime-rate as Geneva, it should be 80'000 crimes in Zürich instead of "only" 52'000. So far so clear. But the map is rather confusing. It gives the Bains de Paquis as a place of heavy crime. People returning from swimming may realize "losses" swiftly and report, even if the losses in reality occurred long before and elsewhere. The map gives a heavy emphasis to parks. the same problem again. The only clear thing is that the area between Cornavin and Servette is the "Brooklyn" of Geneva --- exactly what the Langstrasse-Dietikon area in Zürich ("Chreis Chaib") used to be in the 50ies/60ies/70ies)

One of the other issues in Geneva is transborder crime. I was at a school reunion a few years back and parked under the lake. The car was broken into and stuff stolen from the trunk. When we reported it to the police they said that people come over from France do the deed and then disappear back over the border. There is very little the police can do.

Such are the joys of being a member of Schengen and having a strong CHF!

I agree, nothing much has changed since I grew up there either (early 70's), but for people not in the know I thought it might be useful.

Though I don't seem to remember Plainpalais being all that bad at the time. The Exhibition centre was there and, yes there were a lot of old buildings, but it never struck me as being crime ridden. I even bought my first moped there from a store called Ludi. IIRC the store was kind of legendary although I have no idea why....

One of the other issues in Geneva is transborder crime. I was at a school reunion a few years back and parked under the lake. The car was broken into and stuff stolen from the trunk. When we reported it to the police they said that people come over from France do the deed and then disappear back over the border. There is very little the police can do.

I lived between Usine and Plainpalais and though I never felt particularly in danger in either place, they did attract some less than savory characters lets say. And parts around there had much lower rents. Also I think the big open area around Plainpalais which always looked a bit disheveled attracts youngsters just hanging out drinking with nothing much to do*. Also it's a big and empty which can be an attraction for thieves. Not to many people around and easy escape routes.

*not that that means they are all criminals. But bored drunk kids can be tempted to get up to mischief.

Such are the joys of being a member of Schengen and having a strong CHF!

Not sure this is related to Schengen either. I think it's a bit of denial on the part of the Geneva police. This has been their excuse for some time now. Any French plates with certain #s were decried as the cause of all crime. This was even true 10 years ago before Switzerland joined Schengen.

I took a look at the map. The red areas marked for high criminality - would be good to know what that criminality means (theft, muggings, rapes, murders??). Seems that the red areas are primarily public areas - open parks, the train station, public swimming area? Not so much residential neighborhoods endangered? Not sure if I'm guessing correctly.

Just be aware of pickpocketing, robbing and drug dealings happening on the areas marked. Better to skip passing this areas at night. If someone wants to make a conversation with you while walking just immediately dismiss them or simply ignore them.

Theft in apartments and things left inside a parked car is also a common crime nowadays.

If you are coming from a big city you're probably used to it. It just seems so fast that Geneva turned into this just in the span of 10 years.

Another point. The Zürcher Kantonspolizei closely co-operates with the police corps of Schaffhausen Aargau, Schwyz (Lachen, etc), and St. Gallen (Rapperswil). Given the general antipathy between Geneva and Vaud, I have my doubts about this there. Let's not forget that while Versoix is GE, already Coppet and Nyon are Vaudois. This is an important aspect